Ettalong Beach: Shop top housing DA for Ocean View Rd returns

A $9.5m shop top housing DA for Ettalong Beach has made a return, despite being rejected and locals saying it would “stick out like a sore thumb”.

A decision has been handed down on a proposed $9.5m shop top housing development on Ocean View Rd in Ettalong Beach.

UPDATE: A rejected $9.5m shop top housing development in Ettalong has made a return.

The proposal for a six-storey development at 227-233 Ocean View Rd was refused by the Central Coast Local Planning Panel back in February due to height concerns.

The plan had also attracted more than 60 submissions regarding not only the height but the proposal being out of character for the area.

Neighbours and people that made a submissions were advised of the application’s return on Monday.

Developers Jedaclew Pty Ltd have called on Central Coast Council to review the rejection, indicating that new information has been submitted. Council initially supported the DA, however their recommendation was not supported by the panel.

New or amended plans are yet to be published on the council’s website, however submissions will reopen on the development on July 16 and close August 13.

The council report stated the proposed building is in the public interest.

EARLIER

Decision made on $9.5m shop top housing plan

A proposed $9.5m shop top housing development in Ettalong Beach has been rejected.

The DA, which included construction of a six-storey development at 227-233 Ocean View Rd, was refused by the Central Coast Local Planning Panel.

The panel went against Central Coast Council’s recommendation for approval despite the DA exceeding the number of storeys for the zoning and the height limit by more than 2m.

In the reasons for refusal, the panel indicated it could not justify the height variation and the development did not fit in with the Local Centre zoning.

The site of the proposed development.

“The proposed development provides poor amenity for future residents and visitors, and would

have adverse impacts on the neighbouring low density residential properties,” the panel stated.

The development included basement and ground level parking for 37 cars, ground floor commercial premises, along with five levels of residential units. This includes one single bedroom unit, 10 two bedroom units and 14 three bedroom units.

This site has had an interesting history of DAs, including a warehouse development refused in 1989, outbuilding and garage developments approved and a similar residential development lodged in 2019 however withdrawn.

Height limits will be a factor considered by the panel.

The current DA included demolition of the former general store and butcher build back in the 1920s.

Height was a major consideration for the panel with the application, lodged by Jedaclew Pty Ltd, exceeding the local height limits by 2.4m along with six stories instead of five.

The DA attracted 67 objections with concerns including the height variation, the DA being out of character for the area, traffic and parking impacts as well as the bulk and scale of the proposed building with one objector saying it will “stand out like a sore thumb”.

Artists impression of the DA from the street.

In its recommendation for approval, council stated “there are a number of similar developments in the area and the area is going through transition to higher density development in accordance with the zone objectives”.

The planning panel disagreed, indicating the DA was not in the public interest.